merrion street

The Minister of State for European Affairs, Ms Helen McEntee, TD, has today invited voluntary organisations, educational bodies and civil society groups to apply for funding under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Communicating Europe Initiative.

The Communicating Europe Initiative is aimed at deepening public awareness of the role the EU plays in our daily lives and at improving the quality and accessibility of public information on European issues, particularly at regional or national level. Projects should seek to communicate European issues, the role of the European Union and Ireland’s place in Europe and may include public conversations through Citizens’ dialogue-type events. Projects promoting dialogue on the Future of Europe are particularly encouraged. Funding in the order of €100,000 has been made available under the scheme this year.   Announcing the launch of the scheme at the latest of the Government’s Regional Citizens’ Dialogues in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, today (Thursday 8^th); the Minister said that:

‘A key priority for government is to encourage and promote a national debate around Ireland’s place in a future Europe that is not framed solely by our reaction to the UK’s decision to depart the EU’’.

Minister McEntee added:

‘’I hope that projects funded under this year’s Communicating Europe Initiative will help inform Ireland’s contribution to the wider future of Europe debate and help shape its future.’’

Further details including application forms are now available from www.dfa.ie. The closing date is Wednesday 18^th April 2018.